"Open It, Mommy!"

I've been trying to remember all week to tell you about this, but it keeps slipping my mind. By the way, I CANNOT believe it is Friday already.

Over my vacation my belly grew significantly. In fact, my mother was astounded at how much growth occurred over one week. I'm sure all of the eating played a significant part. So, Monday morning Sydney wakes up to find mommy and daddy home. "Where's your baby brother, Sydney?" Marc asks. She looks at me, crosses the room, pats my belly and says, "In there. My baby brodder is in the belly. Open it, Mommy!" Then, she lifts my nightgown and tells me again, "Open it, Mommy!" You cannot help but laugh.

We, of course, had to explain that the belly wasn't ready to be opened and that she only had a few more weeks to wait. Still, every now and then, she repeats the request. I love seeing life from the eyes of my two-year-old. It is so sweet. I just wonder how she'll react when the belly finally "opens" and her baby brother comes home to stay.

Another little tidbit, Sydney has started climbing on and off the potty unassisted! After a small bit of silence this morning, I went to Sydney's room to find out what she was into. She wasn't there. Just down the hall I saw little legs waving back and forth. I went into the bathroom to find her hanging out on the potty. "I went pee pee, Mommy. I waiting for more."

I just love her silly ways!

Don't Beat Me Up!

I know my sweet husband uploaded photos for me, but I didn't get to it yesterday. I cannot believe it is Thursday already. I'm going out of town this weekend so, I wonder if I'll even get to it.

Last night, we dropped off books at the library, had dinner, did some laundry and I finally cracked a book. Yep, it was as horrible as I imagined it would be. I tucked myself into bed shortly thereafter. I was surprised there were no nightmares.

I've been so busy at work today. I've got a meeting in an hour and decided to sit down and have some lunch. Of course, forgetful me, I left my lunch at home. The good news is that the backup me had a frozen lunch in the freezer: veggie lasagna. Now before any of my vegetarian friends start cheering and clapping, I have to note it was an accidental purchase. :) It is actually not half bad. It is Trader Joe's and organic. I love that store! Unfortunately, it is a bit out of my way so I rarely get to visit it. That is probably good for our bank account. If you have one in your area and haven't checked it out, you should definitely make a stop. They have the most beautiful floral arrangements for $14. They are the perfect "I thought of you today" gift. Also, their freshly frozen fish is an awesome pickup. I love being able to lay out tuna steaks at the last minute. They have kick-butt marinades for their seafood also. Seafood is a rare occurrence in our house as Marc is not a fan. It really is too bad, but he will eat it a few times a month if I make it, which is a pretty fair compromise.

Well, I'm off to finish my lunch. I hope you are having a great day!

Finally! I made a choice!

It has been TWO months since graduation and FINALLY I have picked out my gifts. I've been hunting for weeks, even on our trip. My grandparents gave me money and I decided that jewelry would be a nice way to spend the money because I will always associate the pieces with them and my special day. Also, I hope that one day Sydney will graduate from college and I will have the opportunity to pass them on.

So, I've chosen the above pearl/diamond necklace that will be delivered to me in a few days. I've also selected a lovely sapphire pendant (below) to match the ring Mom and Tom gave me for a birthday and the earrings Marc gave me for Christmas a few years ago. Now, I will have a complete set! :)

I know I'm spoiled! I'm so very fortunate to have so many people around me that love me.

I love being home! :)

Well, you may not have picked up on the slight sarcasm, but it is there. Actually, I am quite pleased to be home; however, work is less fun. I'm getting to deal with a lot of HR issues that I detest. I'll spare you the details, for now. :)

Marc has uploaded all photos to our home computer so, I hope to post some pics tonight before bed. We'll see though. I really have to say that I just love Marc so much. Okay, I know I'm gushy. Trust me, it isn't just the pic upload.

Last night, we took a short walk around the neighborhood and then let Syd play on the playset outside for a bit before we went in for dinner. I was halfway up the stairs when Syd and Marc came in. I heard him tell Syd, "Come on, honey. Let's go help mommy with dinner." Now, for those of you that don't know Marc very well, he really means it. He is always happy to pair up with me and do almost any chore. He hates cleaning toilets and showers, but who doesn't? :) So there we were, all three of us, making dinner. Later, we all cleaned up. I just so appreciate my husband and our partnership. Honey, I love you love you love you!

Speaking of great partnerships, I have to mention that today is Mom and Tom's 20th wedding anniversary! Isn't that great? I remember being not very happy when the first got married, but I love Tom more than I could even say. He is a kind, sweet and giving man. We are so fortunate to have him in our lives. He means the world to us all.

Happy Wednesday Wishes!

Bittersweet Return!

I'm home! Marc and I actually got in quite late last night and I made it to bed just before midnight.

I haven't had time to settle in yet, but will post when I do. I just wanted to let you know that we made it home safely and had a great time!

Now...time to catch up with my buds.

Well, Crap!

I had drafted my Day in the Life of post yesterday and it is not there today. I still had more pics to upload. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until I get back. I'm busy trying to pack as I've just confirmed with Carnival that we are a GO! Hopefully, there won't be any surprises between now and 8am tomorrow morning.

We dropped Syd off at Mom and Tom's house tonight. :( I cried. It is going to be strange not seeing her for a week. The little turd didn't even want to kiss me goodbye. Yeah, I tickled her. I had no choice.

We haven't decided if we are taking the laptop yet so, we'll see. If not, I'll miss you guys. Talk to you soon!

Uh oh! I've been tagged.

Four things you may not have known about me:

1. I wish I could sew.
2. I worry constantly about everything!
3. I hate fingerprints on my faucets and switchplates.
4. I won a jello eating contest in high school (peach flavored jello). ICK!

Four jobs I've had:

1. Baskin Robbins (My first high school job)
2. Waitress at Red Lobster and Carlos O'Kelly's (High school and just after graduation)
3. Loan Processor/Asst. Mgr for a Mortgage Co
4. Paralegal/Office Mgr for my firm (almost 7 yrs)

Four movies I can watch over and over:

1. BREAKFAST CLUB!
2. Sleeping with the Enemy
3. Steel Magnolias
4. Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea

Four favorite tv shows:

1. Almost any cooking show
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. My Life on the D-List
4. Man v. Wild, when I actually get to watch it

Four favorite hobbies:

1. Eating Out
2. Cooking-Although I'm terrible at it
3. Watching Food Network
4. Talking :)

Four places I've lived (not in order):

1. Blacksburg, VA
2. Richmond, VA
3. Fredericksburg, VA
4. Orange, VA

Four favorite foods (right now):

1. Olives
2. Root beer
3. No raw fish sushi
4. Guacamole

Four places I'd rather be right now:

1. At home playing with Marc and Syd.
2. Visiting the Aunts and having lunch at Innwood.
3. Lounging in a hammock anywhere it is breezy.
4. Almost anywhere other than work.

Four sites I check everyday:

1. All blogs on my pg
2. VA SCC
3. WashingtonPost.com
4. Firm news site

Friday! Friday! Friday!

Hip hip hooray! I just love Fridays now! When I was in school, it was nice to have the weekend, but I knew I would be spending a lot of time locked in my office at home.

At the request of Tib, today is "A Day In the Life Of.." and I've been trying to capture photos of my morning. I don't know if I will make it through the day given that I neglected to charge my camera and the battery light is starting to show. :( I may have to skip part of the day to save charge for this evening. Jess G and Miss Ella are going to be visiting us tonight and I cannot wait! :)

In other news (I sound like an anchor), Marc and I are waiting to see what impact, if any, Hurricane Dean will have on our upcoming cruise. We are scheduled to catch our boat in Puerto Rico on Sunday. From what I understand, the eye of the storm is passing through St. Lucia now, which is one of our ports of call. Perhaps we may have to miss St. Lucia and spend an extra day somewhere else. I hope we get to go at this point. I'm really looking forward to the alone time with my sweetie. Keep your fingers crossed for us, but more importantly, for the families and tourists being threatened. I certainly would hate to have our trip cancelled and was actually stomping my feet about it yesterday, but that certainly wouldn't be the end of the world. I just hope that the storm does not cause a lot of life or property loss. Sometimes, I have to take a step back and look at the big picture. By the way, Hurricane Dean certainly creates a big picture as it is almost the size of TEXAS! WOW!

Aimee, I hope you get some relief from the rain and flooding. It is possible that Hurricane Dean will add on some additional rain. It is too early now to tell. Know that we are thinking of you guys.

You certainly wouldn't know the Caribbean is turmoil from here. It is a BEAUTIFUL day in Virginia today. Absolutely beautiful! What a lucky Friday!

Collect Call From: Wevegotababy ItsaBOY!

Does anyone remember that commercial? I thought it was so funny.

Imagine my surprise this morning to find that we are going to have a boy! After all, you know I hadn't even considered boy names yet. We, of course, have plenty of time. Marc is BESIDE himself with glee. I am very excited and nervous at the prospect of learning how to take care of a boy. So far, I've just been warned about the spraying pee. Ha ha! Thankfully, we have lots of great resources to offer advice. Then, of course, Marc was a boy too once. :)

Overall, the test went very well. The baby appears to be very healthy and all the parts are in the right place. ALL OF THEM! :)

He almost didn't want to share the secret. After a little poking, he finally gave in. At one point, he even appeared to clap his hands.

Well, I'm off to make a few phone calls. We are so thankful right now! A healthy baby and the best of both worlds!

Have a great day!

Crabby, but Thankful!

Top of the mornin' to you! Well, I guess it is still technically morning. I've been sitting here stewing at my desk about the morning annoyances and decided I was being silly. Yes, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. So, I've decided to make myself feel better by listing some of the things I'm thankful for today. It always puts me in a better mood!

Today and everyday, I'm thankful for my family, friends and health, etc. You know, the really big stuff. For the purposes of this personal exercise, I consider them "assumed."

Today, I am thankful for:

1. The Chick-fil-a lemonade I picked up on my way to work.
2. My new outfit that is way comfortable, but classy (Kohl's baby: $45).
3. Having a huge window in my office so I can look out into Reston.
4. The cool, moderate temps and breezy air.
5. My friend, Rachel! She gets extra credit because she is so silly and sweet. She works with me and I adore her. BTW, she is getting married in Oct! Woohoo!
6. My paycheck!! Today is pay day! The best part-we have money to pay all of our bills! :) Not much more, but that will do! :)
7. Remembering to bring my Old Navy returns to mail back.
8. Getting to eat no-raw fish sushi for lunch today!!!!! That one is HUGE! :)
9. Today being Wednesday, which means tomorrow is U/S day! What will it be???
10. Getting to go on vacation in three days! Make sure to say vacation with a silly accent (i.e. Vacasionay). It is more fun.
11. Having a daughter who was a happy and speedy dresser this morning! That always makes life easier.
12. FINDING MY CAMERA!!! Actually, Marc found it in our guest room.
13. Silly clients that make me laugh! We have a real character here this morning.
14. The photos of my family on my desk. It reminds me of how much fun they are and why I'm having another.
15. My very reliable Honda! I just got it washed the other day. My bosses have had their Mercedes vehicles in and out, in and out of shops. It may not be that fancy, but S1MR DWN has been a very good car!

I know, I know. Random right? That I guess was the point. I feel so much better now! Silly huh? Believe me, I could go on and on about the silly things I'm thankful for today. Don't worry, I won't. You get the gist! :)

Have a great great day! Look for a post tomorrow late morning. We hope to reveal the sex of the next family member! I vote girl!

Little Sydney

Last night, Marc and I decided to visit Red Lobster. I had received a gift card for MK and all I could think about were crab legs...and root beer.

We sat down for dinner and after quite a wait, the meal arrived. Sydney has tried everything we've eaten since she was able to eat solids. It is my attempted defense against picky eater issues. She's often turned down things I thought she would love to eat (i.e. grilled cheeseburger and some pizzas) and has instead devoured things I thought she might not even touch (i.e. OLIVES and strong cheeses). The same has happened with certain types of seafood. She will sometimes eat scallops and will rarely eat shrimp. Yesterday was the first time this year I ate crab legs. Wouldn't you know it! She ate at least a 1/3 of my dinner! She refused her dinner (grilled chicken) and would only eat mine. It was certainly bittersweet for me.

I love the fact that my daughter loved the crab so much. I am a seafood fanatic and often go without because my sweet husband isn't such a fan. So, it is nice to see that my daughter showed an interest. On the other hand, I LOVE them and was somewhat hesitant to share. I rarely get to eat them. After a few minutes, I looked into her big brown eyes that were full of excitement and gave in.

Sydney is changing so quickly these days. Her speech is fantastic and she is picking up new phrases and words all the time. For example:

"How 'bout dis, Mommy?" She uses that when she'd rather not wear what we've picked out for her.

"Thank you berry much!"

"Perfeckt!" She picked this up from my stepmom this weekend and has been using it constantly.

Someone mentioned yesterday that they had to bribe their kids to get them to kiss them. Me too! I have to threaten to tickle her for kisses. :) Sometimes I have to follow through. She laughs hysterically and gives in.

She is growing up way too fast for me!

Monday Monday

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I haven't started my blog review yet. :)

We had a great weekend. We went out of town to visit my father, stepmother and little brother, Josh. I hadn't been in quite some time and it was good to visit. I ate soooo much as the food was so good. I got a great crockpot mac and cheese recipe I'll have to share shortly.

I'm pretty bummed out that I don't have any pictures yet. I have misplaced my camera and have no idea what I've done with it. No worries about the weekend since my stepmother has a very nice digital camera. She took some really cute pictures. Jenn, send those to me soon! :)

We have a big week coming up. We are scheduled to have an US on Thursday, which will reveal the sex of the new Tadlock. I'm so excited I cannot wait to find out! I think it is a boy. I was wrong last time so, we'll see. :)

After that, Marc and I will be dropping Syd off at Grandma Sebrina's for "bacation." I know it will be bittersweet. Marc and I are looking forward to our cruise, but we certainly are going to miss little Syd. I know I'll load my suitcase up with surprises for her and she'll be thrilled to play with it all when we get home. Plus, I know she is going to have a blast with my mom. Mom has lots of plans for Sydney. Although I did warn my mother about getting Syd in the habit of getting up at 5:30am. That would probably kill me. :)

Well, I'm off to get things situated for the week. I'll check in later and I hope you have a great week!

A Tiny Pin With An Important Message

I'm posting this today because yesterday, as Dolly said in Steel Magnolias, I was "busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest." Ha ha! Things are picking up at the firm, which is great! I love to be busy.

I've been at my firm for nearly seven years. I love LOVE it here. We have great employees, employers and clients. In fact, I have met some really fascinating people while working here. Despite being here for nearly seven years and knowing the lay of the land very well, I still get butterflies before client meetings, especially with certain clients. One such client came in yesterday morning to meet with us. Like many of our clients, she is very well educated and VERY well to do. She is always dressed to the nines and decorated with diamond encrusted rings, bracelets and the like. Hannah would love to see some of the giant sparklies this woman wears. The minute I walk in the room, dare I admit it, I am instantly intimidated. Why? I know at all times what is going on and am always very well prepared. Yet, I find myself distracted. Yes, the bling. There certainly is a lot of bling and Louis Vuitton! Somehow I have convinced myself that this woman is a better person than me.

I'm really not sure why I feel this way. Okay, maybe it is the school she attended, the clothes she wears or the great work she does for the community. Whatever it is, I find myself looking at my Ann Taylor gear and neat, but not polished, hands, feeling less human than I did just ten minutes before she came in. I was just berating myself for not curling my hair that morning when I saw it. Across the table, slightly hidden behind her jacket, I saw a shiny metal safety pin. Yep! It sparkled more than the five hundred carat ring she was wearing. It was almost like it was calling out to me. :) I know pins don't speak, but that pin said a lot to me yesterday.

That $.49 pin announced to me yesterday that its owner was just like me, human. She may sport the latest trends, have money to travel the world, but like me, she isn't perfect. Her shirt was gaping that morning and out of modesty, or perhaps self-consciousness, she pinned her shirt with a safety pin. I know it sounds terrible, but FINALLY she had something out of place. It was calming and I KNOW I smiled.

My husband tried desperately several years ago to calm my jitters before each speech I gave in class. "Remember," he said "everyone puts their pants on just like you do, one leg at a time." It never worked really. I still threw up in the parking lot or cried in the bathroom before each speech. Yesterday, the point was reiterated.

Today, I put my pants on, one leg at a time. Then, I fastened the top with a GIANT safety pin (that dreaded pregnancy in between stage). I bet someone else did the same thing this morning.

Compare Bellies

You guys are so silly!

The left is me with Syd at 17 wks. The right is me with new baby Tadlock (16 wks). I'm bigger this time, but not much.

My maternity pants arrived today. I'm not really very thrilled about putting them on, but Sydney is tired of sharing her hairbands.

Crazy crazy! Thanks, Jess G for getting me into the site for Syd. It is so neat that I can look back and compare.

Toni, it was so good to hear from you!!!! :) I bet your girls are just adorable. It has been a while since we've seen you guys. We've got to get together soon. Heard from Nika or Lisa?

Summer Days

I thought I would post a few random pics from the last two weeks.

Sydney on the slide!

A little fun with the sprinkler!

Fun at the Herndon 4-H Fair!

Ready for a ride! Daddy will pull me with his bike!

Stopping by the woods to get the dirt out of my shoe!

Below (Blogger is being a pain!) : Syd made a new apron!

The bump starts to make its appearance!

Feelin' Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!

I'm facing a dilemma: law school or no school. Yep! I've pinpointed the procrastination. It isn't that I'm so wrapped up in my Summer fun that I don't want to study. Okay, well, maybe it is a bit. It is that I'm scared of making a mistake, a huge mistake.

On one hand, I'm dying to get into law school. Okay, rejection is also a very scary reality. As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm very limited in the schools I can financially attend and they are highly ranked. William & Mary, for example, has an acceptance rate of 24.1% and George Mason a frightening 20%! I KNOW I would make a great lawyer! I could possibly make a difference. If not in the lives of others, certainly in my family. I would be setting an example for Sydney and future baby. It would also provide job security. Setting those things aside, personally, it would mean the world to achieve the goal.

As you know, I graduated from college this past June. The first college grad in my family. It took me FOREVER, but when I crossed that stage, I couldn't stop the tears. I know, I'm a sap. I had never worked so hard for anything in my life! So, multiply that times ten for law school.

Then there is the other hand! IF, that is a big IF, I managed to get into a school, it is no joke. There will be lots of studying and stress. I worry about many things. First, I've decided that I will have to leave my job. There is no way I can do both and still have time with my family. The idea is that school will replace my job so that I can be home like I would be if working. So, obviously, there will be a significant pay reduction in the household. This is why I can only pray I get into an affordable school. I don't know about you, but I'm just not that excited about coming out of grad school with $97-106K in debt.

In addition to the financial stress and school stress, I'm sure Marc will be stressed. He's behind me 1000% and I cannot tell you how that feels. I love him sooo much! Our family is so important to me, which is why I don't want to risk harming it. He tells me I'm being silly and that we'll be fine, like always. I just don't want to be selfish. I want to be the best wife and mommy I can be. I don't want my kids to look back and say, "Mom was never there." I also don't want to miss out.

Am I being selfish?

Ode to Starbucks

It has been four months since I have had a cup of coffee, not that I wanted it. The bleah of morning sickness really deterred that desire. Then, after I started feeling better, I still stayed far away in fear. That is, until today. I just had to take a chance.

I popped into the Starbucks next to my office. I used to go there all of the time. When the cashiers know your drink, you visit too much. :) I got a wide mouth smile, "Hellooooo" from one this morning.

I ordered my drink, tall vanilla mocha, and waited. I know I must have looked like loon when I took it off the bar and smelled the cup. I just LOVE that sweet creamy smell. MMMMM! I held it for a few minutes before I took a sip. I'll admit it; I was scared. I waited until I got to the parking lot, just in case I had an upset. :) Talk about HEAVEN ON EARTH! I felt like pulling a Julie Andrews right there in the parking lot. Picture it: There I am in my favorite jeans, which are starting to look ridiculous on me, and my blue sweater twirling in the parking lot with my cup singing, "My mouth is alive with the taste of coffeeeeee!" Okay, so I won't quit my day job.

So, I've been sipping my wonderful cup of heaven for the last half hour and it is almost gone. What a treat for a sunny Friday!

What makes you go Julie?

For me

I looked at the calendar today and realized that today marks the 17th week of my pregnancy. WOW! Time is just whizzing by now that I am hardly sick. I remember being sick with Syd well into the 26th week. Bleah.

I have my monthly appointment next Thursday and the U/S the following Thursday. I wonder what it will be???? I'm very curious. Sydney has been asking for a "baby broderr." She's been so very sweet. When I'm sick, Sydney comes into the bathroom, rubs me on my back and says, "It's okay, Mommy. Mommy's sick. It's okay." Isn't that just too cute? Last week she followed an exceptionally loud heave with "Bless you." Ha ha! Thankfully, those moments are first thing in the morning and then, I'm great for the remainder of the day.

The next exciting thing is the baby movement. I recently starting feeling the little squirmy squishing and popcorn feeling, which is unmistakable. It is soooo early this time. I guess when you recognize it from before, it is easier to tell the difference between the baby and gas. :)

I Got It!

I've been watching dance shows for a while now since they started popping up on tv. I have managed to watch most of the 'So You Think You Can Dance' episodes this season also. Up until now, it was just simply something to do. Sure, I found it relatively entertaining, but I just didn't "get it." I was never touched by the dancing, until last night.

Last night, Lacey and Neil performed a modern dance choreographed by Mia Michaels. Mia introduced the number by saying that her father had passed away and the dance was to represent her reunion with him in heaven. It was so sweet and made me cry.

Marc on the other hand looked at me and said, "I didn't get it. I didn't think it was that good." Maybe it is a pregnant (read: hormonal) girl thing. You decide! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ0fsmBJDhk

Me too! Me too!

Check check check it out! Tib made a new header for me too! :) Isn't it great? She offered and of course, I wasn't going to tell her no! :) She is beautifying the web world and saving us from standard templates! :)

Thanks, Tib! You are the BEST!

She does all of this, exercises AND has four adorable kids! :) I don't know how she does it.

Because You Just Never Know!

Warning: Random Post! Then again, aren't they all?

This morning, I was craving doughnuts. So, I stopped by the Dunkin' Donuts next to my office. I was standing in line when a woman walked in. I instantly recognized her and called out her name. She looked at me with an i-have-no-idea-who-you-are face. Why would she remember me? The last time I saw her was SIX years ago when she was installing my office phone system. Yet, I could remember her full name and could recall it in a split second. This is pretty rare. I often have trouble remembering names of people I've met or places I've been.

She exclaimed, "Wow! You have a memory!" I confessed I really didn't. I concluded that, in that brief period of time when Mindy was installing our phone system, she made a lasting impression. She was such a sweet, sweet person.

I want to be more like that. I want to make positive impressions on people, even if I just meet them once. You never know when your paths might cross again.

Who will you impact today?